Location

73-670 El Paseo
Palm Desert, CA 92260
760-568-5266

Store Hours

Monday - Saturday
10:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Sunday
Noon - 5:00 p.m.

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Watches

The Desert experience is not complete without a visit to Leeds & Son and we invite you to visit our store in Palm Desert. See an extraordinary collection of timepieces from simple elegance of stainless steel to the beauty of diamonds and precious gems on an 18kt gold or platinum watch.

Poolside, on the courts or out on the links, Leeds & Son has the perfect watch for the desert and world travel experience. Our collection of watches is extensive and our expert professionals can find the watch that is just right for you.

There's an incredible selection of watches on the market. Some are ideal for deep sea diving, rock climbing or running triathlons. Others are better suited to nights out at the club or black-tie affairs. And still others are great for wearing to the office, telling time at your kid's ball game, or sporting on the golf course.

The most important things to consider when selecting a timepiece are how you're going to use it and where you'll be wearing it. While that sports watch might look great 80 feet below the surface of the sea, it might make the wrong statement at a formal Sunday brunch. Similarly, a dressy, gold tank watch will probably look out of place if you're sweating it out at the gym.

At Leeds & Son we take the time to learn about your watch requirements, and then we introduce you to the lines that would suit you best. At all times, we carry an extensive selection of fine timepieces that are sure to keep you punctual and looking polished. Let us show you the watch of your dreams.

Quartz vs. Mechanical Movements

When you begin looking for a watch, you will quickly see that there are literally thousands of watches to choose from. However, when it comes down to selecting the movement, which is the method by which your watch tells time, there are only two choices - battery-powered quartz movement or spring-driven mechanical movement.

• Quartz Movements Quartz watches have become increasingly popular, due to fact that they can be accurate to within a minute per year. This outstanding performance is due to the simple facts that there are less moving parts involved than in a mechanical watch and that the watch is powered by an extremely reliable integrated circuit that contains a quartz oscillator.

Powered by a small battery contained in the watchcase, the oscillator creates a regular series of vibrations that drive the watch movement. The battery can typically power the quartz movement for several years, and the constant vibrations created by the oscillator (32 kHz) provide accuracy lacking in most mechanical watches. Most quartz watches utilize the very latest technology.

• Mechanical Movements The more traditional mechanical watches are made up of about 130 parts - though this number can increase dramatically with so-called "complicated watches," which provide the date, moon phases, etc. The basic 130 parts, however, make up its three main components: energy source, regulators and display.

Most often, the e'bauche, which comprises nearly half the parts, is fitted with the regulating components that form the movement. The e'bauche maintains the constant tension required on the spring, once the watch has been wound. Given the number of parts at work, the mechanical watch is considerably less accurate - and can lose or gain eight seconds in a day. Mechanical watches, due to the sheer number of moving parts, also require periodic maintenance, such as cleaning and lubrication.

The appeal of a mechanical watch lies in the appreciation of the craftsmanship involved in manufacturing this micro-machine. The technology involved with mechanical watches is 200 years old. It is the love of and for mechanical art.